15 Maryland high school football games to watch in 2024
![WCAC champion Good Counsel will travel south on Aug. 30 to face Columbus, winners of two straight Florida state championships WCAC champion Good Counsel will travel south on Aug. 30 to face Columbus, winners of two straight Florida state championships](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1200,h_675,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/high_school/01j5b2bed04zagjgw97n.jpg)
Maryland high school football is set to start on the weekend of Aug. 24 and there will be a host of exciting matchups involving squads from the Old Line State.
Here are 15 games that are worth checking out this season.
1. Good Counsel at Columbus (Fla.), Aug. 30
The Falcons, the state’s No. 1 team in 2023 and the reigning Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion, make their season debut in the Sunshine State against the two-time defending Florida Class 4M state champions.
2. DeMatha Catholic at Archbishop Spalding, Aug. 31
The two-time defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champ Cavaliers welcome the perennial Washington Catholic Athletic Conference powerhouse in a matchup of likely preseason Top 5 squads in Maryland.
3. Henry A. Wise at Maury (Va.), Sept. 6
The defending Class 4A state champ Pumas start the 2024 campaign against reigning Virginia Class 5 state champ Maury, which handed Wise its only loss last season.
4. Fort Hill vs. Dunbar, Sept. 13
The three-time defending Class 1A state champ Sentinels make their way from Western Maryland to Baltimore City's Morgan State University for their first match-up with the Poets (reigning three-time 2A/1A state champ) since the 2017 1A state title game. It's always a classic when these two meet.
5. Freedom (Va.) vs. DeMatha, Sept. 13
This will be one of the top matches in the DMV as DeMatha collides with the two-time reigning Virginia Division 6 champs, at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex, who enter the season on a 29-game winning streak.
6. McDonogh School at Archbishop Spalding, Sept. 13
Spalding begins pursuit of a third consecutive MIAA A Conference championship with a title game rematch with the Eagles, who are poised to make a challenge once again in 2024.
7. Riverdale Baptist at Good Counsel, Sept 13
Riverdale Baptist, boasting several Power 4 recruits, gets its first stern challenge with a visit to the defending WCAC champ Falcons, who were the No. 1 team in Maryland last fall.
8. St. Frances at Duncanville (Texas), Sept. 14
The Panthers, playing another daunting schedule, visit Texas for a SBLive.com/Sports Illustrated Top 15 national showdown with two-time defending Class 6A Division I champions Duncanville.
9. St. Frances at Mater Dei (Calif.), Sept. 20
It continues. Playing arguably the nation’s toughest schedule, St. Frances (No. 15 in SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25) takes on the country’s top-ranked squad in Mater Dei, which held off the Panthers last year in Baltimore.
10. Oakdale at Linganore, Sept. 27
Linganore will have extra incentive as Frederick County (Md.) rival Oakdale comes calling in a rematch of last year’s Class 3A state championship match, won by Oakdale to complete a perfect 14-0 campaign.
11. Henry A. Wise at Charles H. Flowers, Oct. 18
Wise faces arguably their toughest opponent in Prince George’s County (Md.) play in Flowers, which forfeited its 2023 victories (9-1 during regular season; only loss to Wise in OT) for having an ineligible player.
12. Dunbar vs. Mervo, Oct. 18
Arguably the top rivalry in Baltimore City is renewed as the three-time reigning Class 2A/1A champ Poets take on the defending 4A/3A champ Mustangs with the Baltimore City Division I crown at stake.
13. Good Counsel vs. DeMatha Catholic, Oct. 18
After two close decisions last year - both won by Good Counsel - the Falcons and Stags meet in what could be another Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title game preview.
14. Northwest at Quince Orchard, Oct. 25
This is likely the “Game of the Year” in Montgomery County (Md.) as Quince Orchard seeks payback after Northwest ended its bid for a third straight Class 4A championship in the state quarterfinals last November.
15. IMG Academy (Fla.) vs. St. Frances, Nov. 11
After 10 road games to start the season, the Panthers finally play in Baltimore against IMG (No. 4 in SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25), at Morgan State University, in a game that could have huge implications in the national title chase.